Hook Plate Versus Suture-Button Fixation for Rockwood Types 3 and 5 Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocations

Objective: Our study aimed to compare clinical outcomes and complication rates of hook plate (HP) and suture-button (SB) fixations for Rockwood types 3 and 5 acromioclavicular (AC) joint dislocation. Methods: Patients who treated with SB were included in group 1, and patients who treated with HP were included in group 2. Functional evaluation of the patients was performed using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) scoring systems. Preoperative, postoperative, and contralateral side coracoclavicular distance (CCD) were evaluated on Anterior-Posterior (AP) shoulder radiographs. Results: All patients included in the study were male. Suture-button fixation was performed for 28 of the patients. Hook plate fixation was performed for 20 of the patients. There is a significant difference between group 1 and group 2 for first- and sixth-month visual analog scale (VAS) scores (P < .001, P=.03, respectively). And a significant difference determined between group 1 and group 2 for first- and third-month DASH and UCLA scores (P < .001, P < .001, P < .001, P < .001. respectively). Preoperative and postoperative CCD difference was 8.43 ± 3.19 mm for group 1 and 7.55 ± 2.14 mm for group 2. No significant difference was determined between group 1 and group 2 (P=.291). Conclusion: Suture-button and HP techniques provide satisfactory results in the treatment of AC joint dislocation. Functional scores and VAS score are better in the SB technique in the early postoperative period, but there is no difference between SB and HP techniques at the 12-month postoperative results.